The present disclosure relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with subterranean wells and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly provides a swellable packer with variable quantity feed-throughs for lines.
It is sometimes desirable to be able to run lines through packers, for example, to provide for fluid communication, command and control signals, etc. to be conducted between opposite sides of the packers. In order to not obstruct an interior flow passage of a packer, the lines may be extended, for example, through a sidewall of the packer or through a seal element of the packer.
Unfortunately, a typical packer having provisions for installing one or more lines through a seal element of the packer is usually constructed for the particular size and number of lines which are planned for installation in a particular well. This creates problems for advance construction, storing and transporting of the specially-constructed packers, and does not take advantage of economies of scale which could be provided by a packer which can accommodate a variety of differently configured lines and different numbers of lines.
Therefore, it may be seen that improvements are needed in the art of constructing packers.